Black-hearted fiends, the lot of them
Rep. Joe Barton - TX
Jeff Flake - AZ
Virginia Foxx - NC
Scott Garrett - NJ
John Hostettler - IN
Steve King - IA
Butch Otter - ID
Ron Paul - TX

Hip-Hop/Rap are extremely popular but they're also known for a level of negativity and antagonistic behavior towards society at large. Hip-Hop culture glorifies crime, is derisive towards homosexuality and degrades women. Kanye West has recently decided that, since he has a gay cousin he loves, it's none too cool to dis the 'mos. West has even addressed the issue on by telling his colleagues and fans "Yo stop it".

Due to this it was with great interest that I read a column in todays Daily News praising alleged attempted-murderer and Hip-Hop star Beanie Sigel for coming through for Latoyia Figueroa by not only donating $5,000 to the Citizen's Crime Comission, but also getting mogul Damon Dash to kick in 5 grand as well. As word spread, other rappers/Hip-Hoppers followed suit.

Sigel, 31, continued following the Figueroa case in newspapers while finishing his one-year federal sentence in Fairton, N.J., for illegally carrying a loaded .45-caliber handgun and having drugs in a SUV.

While the nation was transfixed on the discovery that "Runaway Bride" Jennifer Wilbanks was only the victim parental overindulgence to the point she was incapable of making rational decisions in the face of stress, another Philadelphia woman disappeared. That woman is Ta-neke Daniels of South Philly, a 27-year old mother of three boys ages 2 - 10, who was last seen leaving her boyfriend's house May 12th. Her boyfriend, who is currently not a suspect and is reported to be cooperationg with police, was due in court to face charges of abusing against Daniels.

Sometimes what you don't say is as import as what you do say.

Compare and contrast

Back in May I referenced a new bilingual magazine called Our Truths (Nuestras Verdades).

Our Truths/Nuestras Verdades is a print and on-line magazine dedicated to bringing to light the diversity of abortion experiences while creating a safe space for people of all genders to speak their truths.

The publishers of the magazines hope to reduce the stigma surrounding abortion and allow women and men who have had experiences with abortion, especially those who are young and/or people of color who frequently feel marginalized by the mainstream pro-choice movement, a haven in which to share their experiences without harsh judgment.

National anti-choice organizations have been filing lawsuits against California's stem cell institute to prevent them from doing anything with donated blastocysts. The lawsuits are being consolidated to be heard by one judge in one county in order to expedite the process. The latest legal salvo is a federal lawsuit filed by the "National Association for the Advancement of Preborn Children" claiming the civil rights of blastocysts are violated by stem cell research. The lawsuit is widely considered to be moot but is causing delays in non-federal funding and sales of bonds to support the research. [emphasis added]

The suit was filed on behalf of Mary Scott Doe, a fictitious embryo produced by in vitro fertilization and then frozen and put into storage. Some of these embryos, which people have decided not to use in attempts to have children, have been donated for use in stem cell research, which involves destroying them.